This invention relates to hard surface cleaning compositions. More particularly, this invention relates to granular built, hard surface cleaning compositions containing low levels of surfactant in combination with low levels of certain water-soluble or dispersible nonionizing polymers. Such polymers aid in removal of soil from hard surfaces.
Hard surface cleaning compositions are a class of detergent compositions adapted to meet the variety of requirements necessary for overall optimum performance in hard surface cleaning usage. Generally, granular hard surface cleaning compositions contain less than 5% by weight surfactant (often considerably less) and often have high levels of organic and inorganic builders.
Granular hard surface compositions are formulated in this way for a number of reasons related to the unique performance requirements involved in hard surface cleaning. Hard surface cleaning products must possess the capability of removing highly substantive soil from many different types of hard surfaces. This soil removal capability must be provided by products which are safe for household use and which do not harm the variety of hard surfaces encountered in home and industry. Moreover, hard surface cleaning compositions should not leave streaks or noticeable film on the surface after soil removal. Still further, such compositions must not produce excessive foam in use since foam can be time and effort consuming to remove. In short, realization of optimum hard surface cleaning products has required extensive and inventive efforts to provide maximum cleaning efficacy within the constraints of economically suitable and conveniently employed, finished end products.
Examples of granular hard surface cleaning compositions appear in U.S. Pat. No. 3,223,646, issued Dec. 14, 1965 to McKenna et al, and entitled "DRY FREE-FLOWING DETERGENT COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF PREPARATION" and, moreover, in the current market place. Copending application Ser. No. 559,461, filed on even date herewith by Claybaugh entitled "Hard Surface Cleaning Compositions" describes both granular and liquid hard surface cleaning compositions and is incorporated herein by reference.
In accordance with the instant invention certain non-ionizing polymeric materials have been incorporated into granular hard surface cleaning compositions of the type discussed above. Similar and related polymeric materials have previously been utilized in other detergent compositions for a wide variety of purposes. Polymeric "anti-soil redeposition agents" and/or "soil suspending agents" are well known in the laundry detergent art. These polymeric materials are thought to provide a means by which removed soil in the laundry bath is kept from re-depositing on the washed fabrics. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,755,252, issued July 17, 1956 to Fong et al entitled "PARTIALLY-ACETYLATED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL AS A SOIL-SUSPENDING AGENT" describes the reduced re-deposition of soil on fabrics by the inclusion of polyvinyl alcohol in a laundry bath. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,830, issued Sept. 19, 1961 to Fong et al entitled "USE OF POLYVINYLPYRROLIDONE AS A SOIL-SUSPENDING AGENT" and U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,435, issued Sept. 5, 1972 to Berni et al entitled "DETERGENCY COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING A SYNERGISTIC MIXTURE OF PVP AND PVA" represent examples of the highly developed use of polymeric anti-soil redeposition agents in laundry detergent baths.
Besides soil suspending and/or anti-soil redeposition properties for laundry baths, other properties of polymers in general have made them suitable for use in certain types of detergent compositions as abrasives, encapsulating materials and viscosity modifiers. Some examples of such other uses of polymers in detergent compositions include U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,470, issued Nov. 21, 1972 to Brennan, and entitled "STORAGE STABLE DETERGENT COMPOSITION"; U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,525, issued June 24, 1974 to Hattenbrun, and entitled "COSMETIC CLEANSING PREPARATION"; South African Application 72/2050, filed Mar. 27, 1972 by Hampson et al, and entitled "LIQUID COMPOSITIONS"; U.S. Pat. No. 3,198,740, issued Aug. 3, 1965 to Dunlop et al and entitled "PACKET OF WATER-SOLUBLE FILM OF POLYVINYL ALCOHOL FILLED WITH DETERGENT COMPOSITION"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,141, issued Aug. 1, 1972 to Muoio and entitled "PROCESS FOR CLEANING HARD SURFACES".
Surprisingly, it has been discovered that certain of these commonly used soil anti-redeposition agents, soil suspending agents, abrasives, encapsulating agents and viscosity modifiers can provide improved soil removal in the hard surface cleaning context, particularly in granular, non-acid compositions.
Despite the relatively widespread use of certain of such polymeric materials for a number of purposes in detergent compositions, it is believed that the unexpected soil removal benefits achieved through the incorporation of the polymeric materials herein described have not been heretofore recognized, especially at relatively low levels in granular hard surface cleaning compositions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide granular hard surface cleaning compositions containing certain polymeric materials which improve the capability of hard surface cleaning compositions to remove soil.
It is a further object of the instant invention to provide hard surface cleaning compositions containing economically low levels of such polymeric materials.
It is still a further object of the instant invention to provide hard surface cleaning compositions which effectively remove soil from hard surfaces without the essential utilization of bleaches, enzymes or abrasives.
These and other objects are achieved as hereinafter disclosed.